Across the vast sea, a massive fleet sailed in unison toward the land not far ahead.
The fleet consisted of over a hundred warships. Each vessel was around fifty meters long and could carry roughly a hundred people. The sails of every ship bore a flag emblazoned with the character "Cloud," identifying them as forces from Kumogakure.
That was right—these were all ninja troops from Kumogakure, and their destination was the Land of Water, Kirigakure.
The Land of Water was one of the Five Great Nations of the shinobi world. Its territory consisted of islands surrounded by sea on all sides, with mountainous terrain and distinctive island customs and culture. It was the smallest of the Five Great Nations by land area, surrounded by the sea and dotted with countless islands. Its affiliated Hidden Mist Village was led by the Mizukage, who governed the ninja forces through strict regulations, and it excelled in mist-based ninjutsu. The Land of Water was rich in resources and offered a comfortable living environment. Thanks to its geographical advantages, it was rarely affected by war. The geographical isolation between its islands meant that it suffered fewer direct blows in the successive shinobi wars, while the island-ringed environment provided excellent living conditions.
Kirigakure, one of the five strongest hidden villages, belonged to the Land of Water and had been founded by the First Mizukage. The Hidden Mist Village was the military core of the Land of Water, led by the Mizukage and governed under a strict system. The village specialized in mist-based ninjutsu. It possessed a unique culture and was located deep in the mountains, its territory often shrouded in thick fog, completely isolated from the other nations. Although its lands were surrounded by seawater on all sides, they had a distinctive terrain filled with mountain